Amendment halts chance of a president for life

4:35 PM,
Mar. 11, 2013

Theodore Roosevelt unsuccessfully sought a non-consecutive third term as president in 1912.

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When the Constitution of the United States was ratified on June 21, 1788, it did not specify how many terms a person could remain in the various elected offices it defined. Since then, we have determined only one federally elected office should be reined in.

Article II, Section 1, of our Constitution says:

"The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected as follows: ?" And the Constitution defines how the states would appoint ...